Rihanna is recording music with her ex--and fueling rumors that they're back together. What kind of message does this send to fans?

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Since the news broke that Rihanna was teaming up on duets with her ex, Chris Brown, almost three years after he assaulted her, we've been scratching our heads, trying to make sense of it.

Brown can be heard opening a new remix of Rihanna's single "Birthday Cake" with unprintable come-ons, while she lends vocals to his track "Turn up the Music" from his forthcoming album "Fortune." On her single, he raps: "Been a long time, I been missing your body… Give it to her in the worst way, can't wait to blow her candles out." Rihanna sings, "Turn up the music 'cause I feel a little turned on," before the two duet: "Do whatever it takes to make it right."

Are Brown and Rihanna milking past troubles to promote both of their albums? Perhaps. But what's even more disturbing is the idea that the two might someday get back together, as their lyrics seem to imply. And what about the alarming number of young women who tweeted they'd be happy to be beaten by Brown after the Grammys?

"Young people acquire negative messages in the media," says Stephanie Nilva, executive director of Day One, a non-profit group that partners with New York City youth to end dating abuse and domestic violence. "Rihanna is clearly a strong woman and one important lesson is, it doesn't matter how powerful, strong and famous you are, you can still be harmed in a relationship. This doesn't only happen to weak people. It's a serious error to assume that."